AFBC President race: Azania steps down for Eyassu

Azania Omo-Agege, Vice-President of Nigeria Boxing Federation and Acting President of Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) gas officially step down from the race and declared his unflinching support for Ethiopia Boxing Federation chief, Eyassu Wossen Berhanu ahead of the elections in Addis Ababa on 18 November.

Below is his full statement:

Ladies and gentlemen I wish to announce officially today I have decided to step down in my quest to vie for the position of AFBC President in our elections to take place on November 18 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

I have done so in favour of my brother Eyassu Wossen Berhanu whom I will support fully to take over leadership of our esteemed organisation because he has all the qualities befitting the status of AFBC President.

My decision to step down is personal without any pressure or coersion but is as a result of wide consultations with knowledgeable boxing stakeholders.

I have full confidence in Mr Berhanu’s qualities as a visionary leader who is very passionate in boxing and is capable of transforming our organisation with his influential international contacts and backing from the Ethiopian government and the African Union.

In my several discussions with him he comes across as a humble leader, generous, understanding, respects fellow leaders, well connected and has vast understanding on the prevalent situation facing boxing in Africa and is ready to steer the ship from its troubled waters to the safety shores of success and prosperity.

I therefore call upon each of one of us to rally behind Mr Berhanu we give him all our support as well as sharing our expertise with him on guiding AFBC and boxing in general to prosperity. No man is an island.

Let us all unite as ONE AFRICA because our primary aim is to see boxing move to the next level.

Therefore I call upon my fellow leaders to put our egos aside and ambitions we join hands to support our brother Berhanu. Boxing is bigger than all of us.

I thank you all in particular my fellow members of the board for your continued support you have accorded me as the AFBC Interim President. Boxing is now heading in the right direction. I urge my fellow leaders to observe honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability in all that we do.

Above all, we should all give our boxers the respect they deserve and always look for ways to inspire and motivate them to do better as well as improving their living standards but not to steal their prize money as we have seen one of us shamelessly doing. We’re here because of our talented and ambitious boxers who can conquer the world with our wise guidance.

Credit: Azania Omo-Agege (AFBC Interim President)